This invention relates to a nebulizer. More particularly it relates to a nebulizer having means by which the percentage of a gas, preferably oxygen, in a nebulized liquid/gas mixture can be easily controlled.
Nebulizers are used for various respiratory therapy treatments, particularly providing humidification to the lungs to make breathing easier and often as a vehicle for delivering medication deep into the lungs. In connection with oxygen therapy, oxygen is passed through a venturi in the nebulizer, is mixed with a nebulized liquid, and the mixture is then propelled at a high velocity out of the nebulizer to the patient. Simultaneously, while the nebulized liquid/oxygen mixture is delivered to the patient, the non-nebulized, larger liquid droplets settle back into the liquid storage. To increase the oxygen carrying capacity of the liquid, the liquid is preferably heated before nebulization. This type of nebulizer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,036.
Although this prior art nebulizer is satisfactory, improvements provided by the present nebulizer eliminate some of the former nebulizer's disadvantages. For instance, the present invention provide means for more accurately controlling the oxygen dilution in the nebulized mixture, for eliminating large particle spit-out of any non-nebulized liquid into the pathway leading to the patient, for more positively maintaining the user's initial selection of the oxygen concentration, and for eliminating uneven or non-uniform heating of the liquid prior to it being mixed with the oxygen for delivery to the patient.